Conor McGregor's injury sets a new UFC record; understand why.

McGregor focused before fighting in the UFC. Photo: Courtesy of X/UFConParamount

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Conor McGregor made history at UFC 329 , held last Saturday (11), for a very negative reason. In his return to the octagon after five years of inactivity, the Irishman faced Max Holloway in the main event, but suffered a serious injury in the first few seconds of the fight. As a result, he became the first fighter in UFC history to lose two consecutive fights due to injury.

Before the long hiatus, McGregor had faced Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in June 2021, in the duel that concluded the trilogy between the two. On that occasion, the former champion suffered a fracture of the tibia and fibula in his left leg in the final moments of the first round, leading the referee to stop the fight by medical stoppage, declaring Poirier the winner by technical knockout.

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At UFC 329 , McGregor attempted a flying kick in the opening seconds of his fight against Holloway, but twisted his knee upon landing. Unable to continue, the Irishman's fight was stopped 69 seconds into the first round. The initial suspicion was a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, and the loss was again recorded as a technical knockout due to the injury.

Watch the moment Conor McGregor suffered his injury against Max Holloway at UFC 329.

The kick that led to the ending 😢 😭 #UFC329

It just wasn't meant to be for Conor McGregor ... pic.twitter.com/wXEdPnH19t

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) July 12, 2026

How long can Conor McGregor be sidelined?

According to UFC president Dana White, the suspicion is that 'Notorious' has torn his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), a problem that, on average, requires between nine and twelve months of recovery before returning to training and competition. In the post-event press conference, Dana White reinforced that the hypothesis of an ACL rupture is the main initial assessment, a scenario also shared by the medical team responsible for his care.

"We're assuming an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. I'm not a doctor, but that's what I thought when I saw the play, and the doctors think the same thing," said Dana White.

What is an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear?

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is one of the most frequent orthopedic injuries, especially among athletes. Responsible for stabilizing the knee, the ligament prevents excessive displacement of the tibia relative to the femur and helps control the rotational movements of the joint.

In most cases, the injury occurs without direct contact, being caused by sudden movements, such as abrupt changes of direction with the foot fixed on the ground, rapid decelerations, improper landings after jumps, or even hyperextension of the knee. At the moment of rupture, it is common to hear a popping sound, followed by intense pain, rapid swelling, and a feeling of instability, as if the knee were giving way.

Treatment varies according to the severity and profile of the injured person: it can be conservative, with physiotherapy focused on muscle strengthening, or surgical, indicated mainly for athletes, with ligament reconstruction through grafting. Complete recovery, in surgical cases, can take between nine and twelve months.

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